I recently resonated with a quote from the book, The Upward Spiral by Alex Korb, PhD: “we are happiest when we decide to pursue a particular goal and then achieve it.” This reflection occurred during a seven-week Project Based Learning Professional Learning Community. We had just finished a discussion on student voice and choice. This quote struck a chord with me because I often hear complaints about the apathy of today’s youth. I began to wonder: if kids were given more autonomy in their learning, would they be more motivated to engage in learning?
When I asked students what they hoped to avoid in their school day, their responses painted a picture of disengagement: “work only on our Chromebooks, only take notes, have to work independently the whole time.” These activities breed boredom and leave students feeling unmotivated.
Conversely, when I inquired about what they liked in classrooms implementing Project Based Learning (PBL), they praised the interactivity, diverse learning opportunities, and collaboration fostering different viewpoints, leading to more creativity.
The Nevada Department of Education, in partnership with the Nevada Future of Learning Network, is developing the Portrait of a Nevada Learner (POL) to cultivate essential skills and mindsets, while maintaining academic standards. PBL is a key strategy in this endeavor.
I believe that PBL fosters the development of all four of the POL domains. The first steps to designing and integrating PBL emphasize two of the four domains, Empowering and Impacting. The domain “Empowering,” asks the question, “How will I grow in my learning?” Incorporating student voice and choice into the classroom cultivates curiosity, which allows students to grow in their learning, while empowering them to take ownership in their learning. The domain “Impacting” poses the question, “How will I contribute to make an impact?” The most powerful projects have a driving question that is authentic and relevant to the real world, which allows students to picture themselves as an impactful member of society. By implementing PBL, educators can take the first step in nurturing curiosity, enhancing critical thinking, and applying knowledge—key attributes outlined in the POL competencies, which are carefully designed to guide student development at every grade level.
When getting started in designing and facilitating PBL, I emphasize beginning with these three components:
Standards Integration
Identify standards that complement each other and craft a strong driving question that draws learners into the content. Teachers often express concerns about time constraints due to the number of standards they must teach. Mrs. Garrison, an English/Language Arts Teacher explained, “I have been able to more easily assess anywhere from 2 to 8 standards depending on the size of the project.”
Student Voice and Choice
Integrate student voice and choice into their projects. This approach empowers students to take ownership of their learning. Ms. Kizlar, a science teacher, transformed a project by allowing students to choose how they demonstrated their learning. She noted, students created “diverse products like stop-motion animations, children's picture books, and science demonstrations that were both informative and engaging.”
Student Inquiry
Sustained inquiry is vital for deeper learning. By giving students the opportunity to take their learning in a different direction through sustained inquiry, we allow them to surpass basic standards and engage more deeply with the topic. Ms. Kizlar observed, “The students not only grasped their weather topics thoroughly but also demonstrated strong research and presentation skills.”
“When PBL is implemented into my class I am more excited about that class, it makes me actually want to go to the class and do the work,” Aubrey, a seventh grader stated. When students are given a voice and choice in their learning, their motivation and creativity flourish. The Portrait of a Nevada Learner underscores the importance of PBL in developing essential skills and mindsets.
As Ms. Cheftler, a science teacher, put it, “Total game changer! More students were engaged and more motivated to get the project done.”
To make this shift, start small. Integrate standards thoughtfully, empower students with choices, and encourage sustained inquiry. Whether you connect two standards, offer a choice in tomorrow’s lesson, or start with a compelling question, these steps can transform your classroom.
For more information, visit PBL works.
Claire Romzek, has taught in the Clark County School District in Southern Nevada for her entire career. After years of teaching 5th Grade, the opening of Lied STEM Academy Magnet School, inspired her to move to Middle School. Claire taught 4 years at Lied STEM Academy, where in 2022 she was recognized as Magnet Schools of America Teacher of the year for Region II. She is now in the Magnet Coordinator position and was recently named STEM Advocate of the year for Southern Nevada. Claire is passionate about Project-based learning and Proficiency-based grading. As a mother of three, her children’s experiences in school drive her vision for change.
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